Smith was the only Knicks player not to appear in Tuesday night's 108-98 loss, as Jeremy Tyler, Cole Aldrich and the rest of his bench mates all saw minutes in garbage time in the second game of a back-to-back.

According to assistant coach Herb Williams, Smith didn't see any action because the team wanted to take advantage of Tim Hardaway Jr.'s hot play:

However, it's worth noting that after sinking his first four shots from the field, Hardaway Jr. went cold, missed his next six, and finished with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting (2-of-6 from three).

For what it's worth, Woodson refused to comment on the situation after the Knicks loss, according to Peter Botte of the New York Daily News:

While Woodson refused to comment, Smith had plenty to say to reporters:

In addition, NorthJersey.com's Steve Popper observed something out of the ordinary in the locker room after the game:

After Smith compiled 14 points against the Sixers and 10 against the Suns on a combined 10-of-19 shooting to help the Knicks capture their fourth and fifth consecutive wins, respectively, it seemed as if the troubled and streaky shooter was starting to turn a corner.

And as TheWall Street Journal's Chris Herring notes, the benching comes at an odd time considering Smith's improved play:

The good fans of Charlotte attempted to get their money's worth and coax Woodson into playing Smith with a resounding chant, but alas, their efforts were futile.

The Knicks will have a night off before facing the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, when they'll need all the offensive firepower they can get against the league's top-ranked defense.